Historical and modern art and craft, with an emphasis on architecture and furniture design.

five common areas where black mold may be hiding

Our good friend and regular contributor Joel McDonald sends in the following:

Black mold can be hazardous to your health. The worst part about it
is that it could be growing in your home without you even knowing it.
That's because it grows in some unnoticeable places. The important
thing is to find it before it gets out of control so you can stop it
from spreading. Here are the five most common places where black mold
tends to grow within a home so you can do some investigating for
yourself.

Wallpaper
Your wallpaper could possibly be a breeding ground for black mold
spores. Many types of wallpaper glue tend to attract organic materials
and dust particles that feed black mold and help it spread.

Ceilings
A home's ceiling could have a large amount of black mold as a result of
moisture or a leaky roof. If this goes unchecked, you could have a huge
area of black mold in your ceiling that continues to grow. Check your
ceiling and roof periodically for leaks or water damage. If you see
either one, look around for mold immediately to stop it before it
spreads.

Basement
Most basements are damp. That's just their nature because of where they
are. That's why it's common to find black mold in your basement. Mold
can grow on wooden materials in your basement. In addition to causing
health problems, this can also weaken the structure and of your home
and reduce its stability.

Drywall
Since mold often grows within your home's walls, drywall is a great
place to start looking for it. Drywall that has experienced moisture or
dampness is subject to mold. The mold can also spread rather quickly
along the drywall. You can usually see this by noticing if the paint on
the drywall cracks or peels. If you find a piece of drywall with mold
on it, the only way to fix the problem is replace all affected parts of
the drywall with new pieces.

Window Frames
The area around your windows is a major place to find growing mold.
Since cold and warm air meet here and there is often moisture
surrounding the windows, mold can grow exponentially in these areas.
Unfortunately, there's no easy way to inspect your window frames for
toxic black mold. You essentially need to look within the seal to see
if anything is growing.

Black mold isn't something to take lightly. For some, it can cause
allergic reactions, asthma, skin rashes and even lung inflammation.
Others have reported experiencing fever and wheezing as a result of
living with black mold. That's why it's so important to catch it before
it spreads too far. Just keep an eye on the moisture in your home and
black mold shouldn't be a problem for you.

Comments

five common areas where black mold may be hiding

Our good friend and regular contributor Joel McDonald sends in the following:

Black mold can be hazardous to your health. The worst part about it
is that it could be growing in your home without you even knowing it.
That's because it grows in some unnoticeable places. The important
thing is to find it before it gets out of control so you can stop it
from spreading. Here are the five most common places where black mold
tends to grow within a home so you can do some investigating for
yourself.

Wallpaper
Your wallpaper could possibly be a breeding ground for black mold
spores. Many types of wallpaper glue tend to attract organic materials
and dust particles that feed black mold and help it spread.

Ceilings
A home's ceiling could have a large amount of black mold as a result of
moisture or a leaky roof. If this goes unchecked, you could have a huge
area of black mold in your ceiling that continues to grow. Check your
ceiling and roof periodically for leaks or water damage. If you see
either one, look around for mold immediately to stop it before it
spreads.

Basement
Most basements are damp. That's just their nature because of where they
are. That's why it's common to find black mold in your basement. Mold
can grow on wooden materials in your basement. In addition to causing
health problems, this can also weaken the structure and of your home
and reduce its stability.

Drywall
Since mold often grows within your home's walls, drywall is a great
place to start looking for it. Drywall that has experienced moisture or
dampness is subject to mold. The mold can also spread rather quickly
along the drywall. You can usually see this by noticing if the paint on
the drywall cracks or peels. If you find a piece of drywall with mold
on it, the only way to fix the problem is replace all affected parts of
the drywall with new pieces.

Window Frames
The area around your windows is a major place to find growing mold.
Since cold and warm air meet here and there is often moisture
surrounding the windows, mold can grow exponentially in these areas.
Unfortunately, there's no easy way to inspect your window frames for
toxic black mold. You essentially need to look within the seal to see
if anything is growing.

Black mold isn't something to take lightly. For some, it can cause
allergic reactions, asthma, skin rashes and even lung inflammation.
Others have reported experiencing fever and wheezing as a result of
living with black mold. That's why it's so important to catch it before
it spreads too far. Just keep an eye on the moisture in your home and
black mold shouldn't be a problem for you.